Nkhoma Synod closes health centre in Ntchisi over land wrangles
Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) has temporarily closed Chinthembwe Health Centre in Ntchisi due to land wrangles with community members.
The facility has remained closed for three weeks after people from two villages surrounding the mission mobilised themselves two months ago and destroyed property and a church building at the premises.
The irate people also assaulted some synod members at the mission.
In an interview, the synod’s general secretary the Reverend Vasco Kachipapa said the facility, located in Traditional Authority (T/A) Vuso Jere, will remain closed until such the synod will be assured of its employees’ safety.
He said people from Chiliwiro and Chaola villages have encroached the synod’s land at Chinthembwe Mission, 15 kilometres away from Ntchisi Boma.
“The wrangles have been there for 10 years now. Although the court ruled in the synod’s favour, people continue to encroach the land. Recently, they started issuing threats to our staff,” Kachipapa said.
Ntchisi District director of health and social services Zondwayo Ng’oma, who is also acting district commissioner, described the people’s actions as regrettable.
“Their actions are affecting delivery of health services in the area as people now travel to Ntchisi District Hospital for healthcare,” he said.
Ntchisi East legislator Bernard Chitekwe condemned the people’s conduct, saying he is already feeling the impact of the temporal closure of the facility as people turn to him to provide transport for patients to Ntchisi District Hospital.
“I receive a lot of calls even during the night to release my vehicle to ferry the patients and as am speaking to you a woman delivered at home as she was waiting for my vehicle to pick her up. It’s really sad,” said Chitekwe.
Meanwhile, TA Vuso Jere said he has suspended village headmen Chaola and Chiliwiro
respectively.
A few days ago, the chief led a delegation of traditional leaders from the area to the synod’s headquarters at Nkhoma in Lilongwe to apologise and ask for resumption of services.
Thepeople from the area contributed money for the delegation’s transport costs.
Chinthembwe is the first CCAP Church to be established in Ntchisi district by the missionaries in the early 1900. The facility has a catchment of about 25,000 people.
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